Saved By the Bell

The story involves Bessie, a young woman whose lover, Basil Underwood, has been arrested, thrown in prison by the Puritans and sentenced to die that night when the curfew bell rings. Knowing that Oliver Cromwell, member of Parliament in the 1660's, will be late in arriving, the young woman begs the old bell ringer to prevent the ringing of the curfew bell. When he refuses, she climbs to the top of the bell tower and heroically risks her life by manually stopping bell by clinging to the bell's clapper. She suffered terribly when the sexton tried to ring the bell. Cromwell hears of her deed and is so moved that he issues a pardon for Underwood.

This story is a small illustration of what Jesus Christ did for the human race. We all deserved that die Romans 4:25 but Jesus took our punishment and death in our places. 

Your Most Powerful Muscle

 

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” Proverbs 18:21

Some Christians believe they have the spiritual gift of criticism. It is so easy to see (and voice) the faults of others and many homes have “roast” preacher for their Sunday meal. The Bible has numerous verses about the use of speech and the warning to control our speech.

Timothy 3... the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell... With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” (Emphasis mine)

Rather than using our speech to tear down, we should use it to encourage and build up people. “So then, encourage one another and build each other up, as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 The power of speech is one of the greatest powers God has given us. With the tongue, man can praise God, pray, preach the Word, and lead the lost to Christ. What a privilege!” – Warren W. Wiersbe

Have You Died Today?

 

“...I die daily...” 1 Corinthians 15:31

After 40+ years in active ministry and observing people, I think I have a good understanding of people and their behavior. Since people were created by God and His image, I evaluate people from a Biblical world view. Without being simplistic, I believe that many of today's problems are a direct violation of one Scriptural principle: the death of our SELF life.

Paul saw his life as a daily death to himself. [Figuratively speaking] “I die daily” echoes Jesus’ command to those who want to follow Him: “If anyone would come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The cross was an instrument of death. When Jesus said that in order to follow Him we must carry a cross, He meant that something must die before we can live. We must die to ourselves, our rights, and our desire to be our own boss. We must die daily.

• People commit road rage because they refuse “to die” to their perceived right to a piece of highway.

• Marriages have conflict because someone refuses “to die” to their 'rights.' We want our way instead of surrendering our right. Romans 12:10

• Children refuse to share because that would mean surrendering their right. 

• People commit murder because they haven't put to death their anger.

• Churches divide because someone refuses to put “self” to death.

• Politicians often they look out for themselves (self) instead of the people that elected them.

To deny oneself or dying to self can only take place through total surrender. God wants you and all of you. He wants all that you are and all that you have – your whole heart, mind, body, and soul. In order to live for Christ, the dying to self must take place each day. Can we say as in Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”?

The Day I was a Millionaire

Several years ago, I contacted my insurance company and asked to close out a policy that had a cash value of $381. However, when the check came it was made out to me in the amount of over $1 million! Of course, this was a mistake but when I phoned the insurance company, they refused to admit they had made a mistake. Their records said the check was written for $ 381. I even offered to send them a copy of the check but insisted they hadn't made a mistake. 

Just for the fun of it, I took the check to my bank and said I wanted to deposit the check. The teller laughed and said I was joking. With a straight face. I told her to look again at the check; it was an official check from a bonafide insurance company. She called for the bank manager and the manager told me I could not cash the check but would have to deposit it and wait a certain number of days to withdraw funds. I finally confessed that the insurance company had made the mistake and I would be sending the check back.

Some of my friends said I should have deposited it in an interest bearing account and wait for the insurance company to realize their mistake. I could send back the amount of the check; minus the interest it had accrued. But would that be ethical? 

What would you have done? Anyway, I was technically a "millionaire" for a couple of days! 

Easy For You To Say!

 Rejoice in the lord always. Philippians 4:4

This is a great verse for a coffee mug with pretty cursive font. It would be a perfect refrigerator magnet or on a greeting card. It makes you sound spiritual if you tell your friends, rejoice in the Lord always!' 

Who wrote that verse anyway? Do you always rejoice in the Lord? The apostle Paul wrote that verse from all places in prison. But did he rejoice when he was in prison? He did! 

Can you picture him? Thrown into prison on the cold, hard ground with open wounds. Maybe he had a broken nose or a couple of broken ribs. No doctor, nurse, band-aids, or ibuprofen. What did he do? He rejoiced!

Paul was praising God for The Who not the what. There wasn't any "what" he could point to but his God was still good. He wasn't praising God for the what. He was praising God for The WHO and can do that too. 

Paul was praising God BEFORE He showed up. Acts 16:26. He didn't praise God because he showed up, God showed up because he praised him. When we praise him he will show up.

The Fifth Awakening

 

The need for a move of God has become more obvious than ever. What our nation needs is a great spiritual awakening. I hear people praying for a revival in our country, but we need to ask God to awaken our world. Throughout history, the Western world has actually seen four “great awakenings.” You may ask what is the difference?

Revivals changes people and churches.

Awakenings change cultures and nations.

The 1^st Great Awakening occurred in 1734. Before it began, only 5 percent of colonial Americans identified with a Christian church. At its height, 80 percent were active followers of Jesus.

The 2^nd Great Awakening is date 1792 and was sparked by a prayer movement. Churches doubled and tripled in membership.

The 3^rd Great Awakening began in New York City in 1858. Out of national population of 30 million, more than a million came to Christ in a single year.

The 4^th Great Awakening began in Wales in 1904. Saloons went bankrupt. Houses of prostitution closed. This awakening spread to the US. Out of fifty thousand residents in Atlantic City, NJ only fifty were unconverted.

Now the world is seeing is seeing a Fifth Great Awakening.

• More Muslims have come to Christ in the last 15 years than in the past 15 centuries.

• China's underground church is exploding with growth.

• Churches in Cuba, Latin and South America are seeing remarkable advance of the Gospel.

Will we see this awakening in America? I believe it's possible. If we obey 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

God promises he will heal our land.

New Year; Same You?

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17. 17

How many of us resolved to be different in 2023?  Lose weight? Quit a bad habit? More time with the family? One gloomy study tells us that many people break their resolutions by February 14th. We have all broken a resolution.  So how can this year be different? 

You don’t need a specific day of the year to start to change your life. You can resolve to do something differently — spend less money, be nicer, drink more water — anytime. And you can decide to do these things for an hour, a day, a week. Then see if you want to continue. Vowing to overhaul your life on Jan. 1 and trying to stick with the changes forever is a tall order.

When you do make a resolution, be it now or in six weeks or in July, remember that a resolution need not be punishing. It doesn’t have to involve curbing appetites or behaviors unless you want it to. You can resolve to reward yourself more. You can resolve to take more naps. And the resolution doesn’t need to be big. It can be small and boring and meaningful only to you.

So, make a resolution for the month of January and see how that goes. If all goes well, extend it through February. Don't go on a guilt trip if you slip up! There’s always a day or month or year ahead of me with no mistakes in it. Resolve to be resolving!